Sobeys this week made what the business website allnovascotia.com called a “shock announcement.” Its CEO Bill McEwan will be stepping down this spring for unspecified “health” reasons. Back in 2003, shortly after he assumed the reigns of the Nova Scotia-based supermarket giant, I wrote this profile of McEwan for the Globe and Mail’s Report on […]
Stephen Kimber’s freelance journalism appears in local, regional, national and international publications.
Stephen Kimber’s freelance journalism appears in local, regional, national and international publications.
Whatever else one can say about the rights-wrongs of the current Metro Transit strike, it is clear city negotiators were never interested in negotiating with its 760 bus drivers, ferry operators and support staff. The contract between Metro Transit and the Amalgamated Transit Union expired Sept 1. There was just one face-to-face session—essentially a presentation […]
- 02/06/2012
- StephenKimber
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Stephen Kimber’s freelance journalism appears in local, regional, national and international publications.
Perhaps Halifax should adopt a kinder, gentler version of the American cage match, survival-of-the-sleaziest primary system to winnow our choices for mayor. Or maybe we need to consider some variation of the NDP’s upcoming advance preferential leadership balloting system to determine who we most—and least—want as next super mayor of our supercity. Consider. Four candidates […]
- 01/30/2012
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Stephen Kimber’s freelance journalism appears in local, regional, national and international publications.
As Canada Post prepares issue a new stamp next month to celebrate the life of Viola Desmond, our own government seems about to quietly take a pass on the opportunity to honour the Halifax woman whose personal courage remains a symbolic inspiration in the fight for human rights in Canada. In 1946—nine years before Rosa […]
- 01/23/2012
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Stephen Kimber’s freelance journalism appears in local, regional, national and international publications.
The lesson from last week’s reversal of council’s decision to sell the former St. Patrick’s-Alexandra school to a private developer? Even when our councillors finally, belatedly get it right, they bungle the process so badly everyone walks away more than slightly soiled and embarrassed by the whole exercise. In December, over angry objections of […]
- 01/16/2012
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Stephen Kimber’s freelance journalism appears in local, regional, national and international publications.
My assignment: “Explain the Occupy Wherever Movement in 15 Minutes.” The occasion was a recent luncheon at the Halifax Club to mark Global Ivey Day, an annual opportunity for alumni of the University of Western Ontario’s Ivey School of Business to come together to celebrate their Iveyness. I’d been invited as the post-lunch speaker, even […]
- 01/11/2012
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Stephen Kimber’s freelance journalism appears in local, regional, national and international publications.
On Wednesday, local radio personality Bobby Mac launched a new Facebook group “for those of us who are tired of those whining people who don’t want any progress in this great city of Halifax.” Its name? SCREW THE VIEW!! By Saturday morning, STV had 163 members. “We are tired of the groups that stop progress […]
- 01/09/2012
- StephenKimber
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Stephen Kimber’s freelance journalism appears in local, regional, national and international publications.
Rev. Rhonda Britten may have been guilty of hyperbole when she compared last week’s city council decision to sell the former St. Patrick’s-Alexandra School to a local developer to “the rape… of a community… Africville all over again!” But she is not entirely canary-in-the-coal-mine wrong. In 2009, Halifax Regional School Board—over the ongoing objections of […]
- 12/19/2011
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Stephen Kimber’s freelance journalism appears in local, regional, national and international publications.
One hopes Nova Scotia’s prosecution service will find compelling legal grounds to appeal last week’s Nova Scotia Court of Appeal decision overturning Fenwick MacIntosh’s conviction for sexually abusing children. The accusations are too serious and the legal issues too important not to appeal. But whatever the outcome of the legal process—and, indeed, without waiting for […]
- 12/12/2011
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Stephen Kimber’s freelance journalism appears in local, regional, national and international publications.
Eric Durnford says if working conditions in Nova Scotia now were the same as in 1984, he too would support first-contract arbitration. Durnford, a prominent labour lawyer who represents employers, was responding last week to a union presentation on why we need the law. Back in 1984, a CUPE official reminded the law amendments committee, […]
- 12/05/2011
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STEPHEN KIMBER, a Professor of Journalism at the University of King's College in Halifax and co-founder of its MFA in Creative Nonfiction Program, is an award-winning writer, editor and broadcaster. He is the author of two novels and eight non-fiction books. Buy his books
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